Carson informed the board that this has been the second year of introducing the students to this type of formatting and the students have really grasped on to this concept of learning.

“I hate to say this, but the kids have a better concept of how the computer programming works better than I,” said Carson. “We were introduced to this type of science in the summer of 2015 by attending a SMASH (Stem Makes Academic Success Happen) camp at Emporia State.

“We attended it again in the summer of 2016 and decided to introduce our students to this type of learning,” Carson said.

Carson’s student’s demonstrated how the robots were programmed and the robots even had robotic voices telling the audience what was happening. Ted Hessong, superintendent, thanked the students and Carson for showing the board some of the work they have been doing and encouraged them to keep up the good work.

Twila Wollenberg, elementary principal, informed the board that the students at the elementary school hosted a Veteran’s Day Celebration on Veteran’s Day.

“This was a huge success and I’m very particular that the kids get this right in honoring our service members,” Wollenberg said. “There were displays of old photographs of the veterans and the staff collected $350 for the American Legion in Melvern. I was very proud of how the whole school came together to honor our heroes of the armed services.”

Wollenberg also informed the board that students from Kindergarten through fifth-grade students planted red tulips in front of the school in honor of Red Ribbon week. The tulips will be a reminder come spring of the efforts all have put forth to make the school drug free.

Michelle Schulze, high school principal, told the board that random drug testing had been conducted and there were no infractions. Students were tested in October by using hair samples. All results were negative. Parents were notified by letter of the results.

Schulze said the parent-teacher conferences were received with an 88 percent participation in the junior high and 78 percent from the high school.

Spring ball programs

Hessong reminded the board about the discussion of the possibility of implementing a softball-baseball program before Jan. 1, 2017.

“At this point, it’s my recommendation to table this until April or May and see what the legislature is going to due next year,” Hessong said. “ We need to make a good decision here for our district and if you remember, the initial start-up cost would be over $25,000 to get this program off the ground.”

In other business, the board:

ª approved $12,771.29 for Hummert Construction for the remainder of the greenhouse construction building. Board members Scott McCollum and Mark Lacey opposied the payment.

• approved expanding account lines line for junior high art, junior high, student council and the lock-in.